Portable chapel tent frame



Aug. 11, 1959 R. DhGEssER 98,

PORTABLE CHAPEL TENT FRAME Filed Aug. 12, 1958 s Sheefs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Aug. 11, 1959 R. D. GESSER 2,898,924

PORTABLE CHAPEL TENT FRAME 'Filed Aug. 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .INVENTOR Aug. 11, 1959 R. D. GESSER 2,898,924

PORTABLE CHAPEL TENT FRAME Filed Aug. 12, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR United States Patent PORTABLE CHAPEL TENT FRAME Ross D. Gesser, Omaha, Nebr.

Application August 12, 1958, Serial No. 754,682

1 Claim. (Cl. 135-4) This invention relates to tent construction and more particuarly to tents of the portable type commonly used as cemetery chapels.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tent frame of the portable type which may be readily and easily erected by one man or attendant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tent frame comprising a plurality of sections which embody telescoping members so constructed and arranged that the four corner sections of the tent frame may be elevated individually permitting the erection of the frame by a single person.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tent frame embodying a central roof section embodying members that telescope into tubular members of the corner sections, providing a pyramid top, positioned and removed as a single unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portable tent frame constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the sections of the main portion of the tent frame roof as connected, and the central or tripod section of the roof as disconnected.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the roof section connected and the corner portion folded inwardly.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the tent frame with two corner posts in an upright or supporting position.

Fig. 7 is a view of the central frame or roof section collapsed.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan view illustrating the tubes of one of the central sections as pivotally connected.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section of one of the corner sections in a folded condition.

Fig. 11 is a view of a corner section with the tubes thereof extended.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 1212 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings in detail, each corner section embodies a tubular corner post 5 and laterally extended tubular side members 6 and 7, and an inner tubular member 8 pivotally connected together, at one of their respective ends, the tubular member 7 of each corner section having an extension 9 of reduced diameter to be fitted in the free end of the tubular member 6 of the adjacent corner section, the tubular member 6 having winged bolts 10 extended through the wall thereof, adapted to contact 2,898,924 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 the extension 9 positioned therein, securing the sections together.

The tubular members and corner post of each corner section, are pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by means of a bolt 11, the bolt 11 having heads 12 threaded on their outer ends, which heads 12 are formed with openings in which horizontal bolts 13 are mounted.

The horizontal bolts 13 also extend through spaced ears 14 that extend from the inner ends of the tubular members 6 and 7 of the corner sections of the frame, the ears 14 being pivotally mounted on the bolts, as better shown by Fig. 12 of the drawings. Nuts 15 are threaded on the ends of the bolts 13 securing the tubular members in their positions of adjustment, with respect to each other.

A yoke 16 is secured to the inner end of the post 5 and has openings through which the bolt 11 extends, thereby pivotally connecting the post of the corner section to the other tubular members thereof.

The short tubular member 8 of each corner section is provided with spaced ears 17 that are apertured to receive the bolt 11, the ears 17 (see Fig. 10) resting against the yoke 16 so that by rotating the heads 12 on the ends of the bolt 11, the ears of the tubular members of the corner sections may be secured against rotation on the bolt 11, after adjustment.

The tubular corner posts 5 of the corner sections fit over the upper ends of the corner spikes 13 that are driven into the ground surface, as shown by Fig. 3, the corner posts being secured to the spikes by wing bolts 19 that are threaded in openings of the corner posts 5 and seat against the spikes 18.

The tent frame also includes a central roof section, better shown by Fig. 8 of the drawings, which roof comprises a plurality of identical tubular members 20.

The tubular members 20 have their inner ends pivotally connected by a member 30 including cross arms 21 that have enlargements 22 at their outer ends, the enlargements 22 having openings in which bolts 23 are disposed.

These bolts 23 provide pivots for the tubular members 20 and extend through openings formed in the cars 24 that extend from the inner ends of the tubular members 20, the ears resting against the outer ends of the enlargements 22, holding the ears in proper spaced relation.

In order that the tubular members 20 will be secured in their positions of adjustment with respect to each other, the ears 24 are forced into frictional contact with the ends of the enlargements 22, by tightening the nuts 25 on their bolts.

Extensions 26 are formed at the free ends of the tubular members 20 (see Fig. 7), which extensions are positioned in the outer ends of the tubular members 8 when the central roof section is positioned and connected to the corner sections of the tent frame when the frame is erected for supporting the tent fabric (not shown).

From the foregoing it will be seen that the tent frame may be readily and easily erected by a single person, in which case the corner sections are arranged with the corner posts 5 thereof positioned over spikes 18. The roof section may now be positioned and secured in place by telescoping the cooperating tubular members of the sections as described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A foldable tent frame comprising detachable corner sections, each corner section including a vertical corner supporting post, a substantially long tubular member, a substantially short tubular member extending at right angles to said substantially long tubular member and a short roof tubular member extending laterally with respect to said first mentioned tubular members, means for pivotally connecting said tubular members with said vertical corner post of each corner section, a central roof section enib'o'dyi'rig aiam'rauty 'of identical tiibiilar iii'riibers, each tubular member of said roof section having ears extending ,f rom pne; end thereof,; a connec tingrn ernbeiincluding class srms'havm a'p''rtn'red enlargement at their ends, bolts extending through said spaced ears of said tiihlilarrnejrnbe'rs of the roof section 5112; openings of said enlargements of said cross arms; pivotallv connecting said tiibiilar rnembers of said cross/roof sections, rn eans for connecting a s'lihstantia llys'hort rn'ernber of one corner section to the substantially long t't'lb'nlar member of the adjacent corner section forming a tent frame, and spikes extending into the corner past or said 'c'oriier section, securing the frame in all upright position when the spikes are driven into the ground surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

